


Jasico TWD au

by abaguettewithaface



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, BAMF Nico di Angelo, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Inspired by The Walking Dead, M/M, Meet-Cute, Minor Character Death, Pre-Relationship, Protective Jason Grace, kinda???
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-10
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 06:49:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29328072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abaguettewithaface/pseuds/abaguettewithaface
Summary: “You could’ve killed me when I came in, but you didn’t.” Jason pointed out.“You were running from them.”“I could’ve done something to them to make them want to kill me.”“Are you trying to get me to change my mind?” Nico huffed, amusement in his eyes. Jason couldn’t help the smile on his face as Nico turned his face away to hide.“No. Just, thanks.”“Stop thanking me. I get it.” Nico said, rolling his eyes. “You’re welcome.”
Relationships: (implied) Jason Grace /Piper Mclean, Hazel Levesque/Frank Zhang, Nico di Angelo/Jason Grace
Comments: 5
Kudos: 25





	Jasico TWD au

Jason was kinda fucked.

He was running through the woods. It was too dark to see more than five feet in front of him. He stumbled along the uneven forest floor, tripping over weeds and knocking his shoulder harshly against tree trunks. He held pressure to his upper arm, where he’d been slashed with a knife just a few moments ago. He was losing blood, but he had no time to properly bandage it.

There was shouting and swearing coming from behind him, and he knew if he slowed down, he’d be in serious trouble. Those bandits had taken everything he had, and no doubt, if he allowed them to catch up, they’d take his life too.

There was a small glaring light ahead of him that he could just barely see through the thick grove of trees. It was white, and moving. A flashlight. Someone was walking with a flashlight. _What a moron_ , Jason thought, and ran toward them. 

His lungs were aching and his throat burning when he reached a small clearing of trees. There was a lone cabin in the middle. The light was nowhere in sight now, and Jason couldn’t see anyone either. Maybe it had been his imagination or a refection of moonlight on a window or something… There was a cluster of roamers gathered near the cabin’s back door, but Jason carefully snuck past them, hoping the noise his pursuers were making would draw them away.

He went for the front door. The porch creaked as he climbed up the steps and went through the door which was fortunately unlocked. Inside the cabin was completely silent and even darker than it was outside. He felt along the wall for a lightswitch, but predictably, nothing happened when he tried to flick it. There was no power.

“Where’d he go?” his pursuers had caught up, and were just outside the door.

“I can’t see ‘im--” another voice called, “Fuck! There’s deads!” There was a commotion, and Jason could hear the sound of snarling and gurgling, followed by an agonizing scream which would only attract more roamers.

Jason tiptoed further into the cabin, cursing his eyes for not adjusting to the darkness quick enough. He could feel a countertop and what felt like a stove. He crouched down to hide behind the counter just as he heard the front door open.

“You in here, Jason?” a gruff voice called. Jason recognized it as the man who had threatened him into giving up all his supplies earlier that day, Bryce. Suddenly, there was light flooding the inside of the cabin. The man at the door had turned on a flashlight. “Come on out, we’re gonna find ye’ eventually. You’re a dead man walkin’.”

Bryce took a couple tentative steps inside, before letting out a strangled gurgling sound, and slumping to the floor in a heap. The flashlight fell with him, but was clicked off after a moment, plunging the room back into complete darkness.

Jason froze. There was someone in here with him. That someone had just killed that guy. Why hadn’t they killed Jason? They must’ve known Jason was here. His mind was reeling and panic was starting to seize him. He tried to control his breathing as another man appeared in the doorway.

“Bryce?” the second man called, peering through the door into the darkness of the room. “Bryce? Oh fuck!” Then, there was a gasp and the man slammed the door in his haste to get out. He must’ve felt Bryce’s body on the floor.

There was more shouting outside, and Jason sat uncomfortably in silence. He heard nothing except for a floorboard creaking on the other side of the room. He listened hard, searching for any indication this mystery person was coming any closer.

It was agony, waiting for the shouting to stop. It must’ve been at least a half-hour before he was sure the bandits had retreated. He couldn’t hear anything except his own labored breathing, and wondered if the person had left the room.

That thought was shattered when a voice said, “You can come out now.” It was both soft and coarse at the same time, as if the speaker hadn’t used his voice in a long time. There may have been a slight accent to it, but Jason had no idea what it was.

“Who’s there?” Jason asked, not daring to move a muscle.

“I won’t hurt you unless you give me a reason to.” the voice said again. It was coming from across the room.

“I won’t hurt you either then.” Jason said, slowly rising from the floor. He felt incredibly vulnerable. He had no weapons or supplies, and didn’t even know where the other guy was in the room.

“Your name is Jason?” the voice asked, closer now.

“What’s yours?” His heart was beating fast. He hated not knowing where this person was, or what they looked like. If they suddenly decided to kill him, he’d stand no chance of defending himself.

“Nico. Who were those guys?” the voice didn’t come any closer, and Jason was grateful.

“They stole all my stuff. Were gonna kill me if they found me.” Jason explained. “So, uh. Thanks, I guess.”

“You’re welcome.” Nico said. After a moment of silence, the flashlight turned on again. It was pointed at the floor and on its lowest setting, but Jason could just barely see the silhouette of a boy standing no more than five feet from him.

He was almost a foot shorter than Jason, with a petite frame. He wore a black tee shirt and skinny jeans, torn on the knees, tucked into dark combat boots. His clothes and hair were so dark he partially blended in with the darkness of the room. His skin, though, was so pale he almost looked like a ghost. He was young, and though he had some small scars on his face, looked almost angelic. He had on a small backpack and a hunting knife sheathed on his hip, and Jason knew this guy was skilled with it. 

Jason couldn’t help but look at Bryce, dead on the floor. There was a small pool of blood around his neck, and Jason was glad he had fallen face-down. Nico bent down beside the corpse and carefully slid his knife into Bryce’s skull, preventing him from reanimating into a roamer.

“Follow me.” Nico said, and held out his pale, bony hand. There were flecks of blood on it that Nico didn’t bother to wipe off. Hesitantly, Jason took it, and the flashlight was clicked off again. He felt a moment of panic, but it subsided as Nico lead him through the cabin and into a room.

The door behind him closed, and the flashlight turned on again. They were in the cabin’s dingy bathroom. There were no windows, and the room was so small, there was only a foot or two distance between him and his rescuer.

“You’re hurt.” Nico observed, looking curiously at his wound. Blood had soaked through his previously white shirt and dripped down his arm. Nico put the toilet lid down and gestured for Jason to sit on it. He did, grunting as moving aggravated his injury. Nico took off his backpack and dug through it until he found a roll of gauze and a small sewing kit.

“You don’t have to.” Jason said as Nico kneeled down on the floor in front of him. Jason gulped at Nico’s new position, down on his knees in front of him, but tried not to let his embarrassment show on his face. If Nico realized what an intimate position they were in, he didn’t mention it.

“Move your hand.” Nico said. Jason sighed, but complied, leaning back to give Nico room to work. He used a towel hanging from the wall to wipe away most of the blood and rolled up Jason’s shirt sleeve. “This might hurt.” he warned.

“Go ahead.” Jason said. After a moment, he felt a sharp burning sensation and his entire body tensed in an effort not to whine while Nico stitched his arm up. He refused to look any weaker than he already did in front of this guy.

Nico’s hands were cold on his skin, but extremely gentle. It seemed like he had a lot of experience treating wounds like this. It took no more than five minutes before Nico was finished. Gauze was wrapped around his shoulder and under his armpit, and taped to keep some pressure on it.

“Thank you.” Jason said as Nico finally stood up. He released a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding in.

“Don’t mention it.” Nico said. He washed his hands in the sink, and Jason was surprised to see it actually worked. He couldn’t remember anywhere else that had working plumbing anymore except New Rome. “It’s connected to the stream about a mile south.” Nico explained when he saw Jason’s surprised face.

“Nice.” Jason cringed as he didn’t know what else to say.

“Are you thirsty?”

“I-- You don’t have to--”

“Don’t mention it.” Nico repeated, holding out a plastic water bottle for him to take. Jason eyed him for a moment. He didn’t seem threatening at all, and obviously he wouldn’t have gone through all the work of patching Jason up if he was just going to give him something poisonous to drink.

“...Thanks.” Jason said, and took a long swig of the water. It tasted like gravel, but seemed to have been filtered of any physical debris. It did wonders for his scratchy throat. He handed Nico the bottle, and Nico shoved it back into his bag. “So… Are you by yourself?”

“Appears so.” Nico said quietly, and leaned back against the sink. He crossed his arms and appeared to grow awkward now that his hands weren’t busy. “Are you?”

“I have a camp.” Jason admitted. It was a dangerous thing sometimes to tell someone about home, but for some inexplicable reason, he knew he could trust Nico. Maybe it was because the guy saved his life, or maybe just the way Nico had taken care of him without a second thought, but Jason told him. “It’s a long way South though. By Richmond.”

“Then why are you all the way up here?” Nico asked, predictably. “It’s a bit out of the way…”

“I’m looking for my friend.” Jason said, hunching his shoulders and wincing as pain struck like lightning down his arm.

“Careful!” Nico scolded, reaching out a hand to steady him on his good shoulder.

“I’m okay.” Jason panted, and glanced gratefully up at Nico. “I… I’ll be fine. Thank you, for this.” he gestured to his wound, which was in much better condition now that Nico had treated it, “and for saving me back there.”

“It’s no problem.” Nico said, almost shyly. “He would’ve hurt me too, not just you.”

“You could’ve killed me when I came in, but you didn’t.”

“You were running from them.”

“I could’ve done something to them to make them want to kill me.”

“Are you trying to get me to change my mind?” Nico huffed, amusement in his eyes. Jason couldn’t help the smile on his face as Nico turned his face away to hide.

“No. Just, thanks.”

“Stop thanking me. I get it.” Nico said, rolling his eyes. “You’re welcome.”

Jason grinned. “Good.” He thought he saw a shadow of a smile on Nico’s face, but the younger teen turned away, using his hair to hide behind.

“We shouldn’t stay here much longer.” Nico said after a beat. “There were more of those guys, right? I don’t want to be here when they come back.”

Jason stood up, his smile fading. Nico was right. Those guys were vicious, and there was no doubt they’d be back before daybreak to take revenge for Bryce.

“We should stick together.” Jason offered. “Those guys are dangerous; I don’t want you to bump into them by yourself.”

Nico bristled, his dark doe eyes glaring up at Jason. “I’m quite capable of taking care of myself, muscles.”

Jason’s eyes narrowed in amusement, but he tried not to let it show. He had a feeling Nico would only feel insulted if he thought Jason was laughing at him. “Oh I know you can. You dropped Bryce like a roamer earlier. I just think it’d be better if we traveled together, at least for a little while. Till we know we’re far enough away from them.”

Nico eyed Jason suspiciously, arms still crossed tight over his chest. He seemed to be scrutinizing every detail of Jason’s body, looking straight into his soul. After a moment, he finally came to a decision, “I’ll stay with you tonight.” Jason’s heart sped up a little at hearing those words, and he felt his face warm. Nico must have noticed as well, because he scoffed, “Get your mind out of the gutter. You know what I meant.”

“Right, sorry.” Jason smiled bashfully.

“It’ll only take me a few minutes to pack. Maybe longer in the dark.” Nico clicked the flashlight off, plunging them back into inky darkness. He creaked open the door and slipped out, one small hand holding onto Jason’s wrist to guide him.

“You know this place pretty well.” Jason said, almost whispering. He didn’t know why they weren’t whispering in the bathroom, but now it just felt appropriate.

“I’d hope so. I live here.” Nico mumbled back. “Or, I lived here.”

Jason’s chest tightened, and a wave of guilt washed over him. He had led those men here, and now Nico had to leave. It was his fault this cabin wasn’t safe anymore.

“I’m sorry.” Jason said softly. Nico let go of him, and though his hand was freezing cold, Jason missed it as soon as it was gone. Maybe he just missed Piper after being away from home for so long. Yes, that was probably it. 

Nico began rifling through a set of drawers in what Jason assumed to be the bedroom. He couldn’t see a single thing in the darkness. “It’s okay. I’m used to moving frequently.” he said flippantly. “There’s lots of off-the-grid places like this in Virginia.”

“Still.” Jason said. “I led them to you.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Nico said, suddenly much closer than he had been. “It would be dangerous to stay here even if you hadn’t led them right to me. They’d have found me eventually.”

Jason reached out blindly, settling a hand on what felt like Nico’s waist. He was thin, almost too thin for Jason’s liking, but even through his shirt, Jason could feel some muscle built up on him. Maybe not a six pack or anything, but it was obvious this guy was stronger than he looked. 

“Right…” Jason sighed.

“You can let go of me whenever you feel like it.” Nico mumbled awkwardly. Jason flushed and retracted his hand, allowing Nico to continue packing up his stuff.

“Sorry.”

“Stop apologizing.” Nico said, now across the room. 

Jason was rooted in his spot, not wanting to bump into anything or make a fool of himself. He felt a little silly, getting so nervous because of a boy as if he were back in tenth grade. He couldn’t remember feeling like this with anyone before, even Reyna or Piper from back home. Thinking of Piper made him feel a little strange about this new… infatuation, with Nico. He told himself that’s all it was. Infatuation. It would pass soon.

“I’m almost ready to go. Why don’t you go get that shotgun that guy had on him?” Nico said, snapping him back to reality.

“Huh? Oh, right. Good idea.” Jason said, feeling his face warm. He was glad Nico couldn’t see him. 

He felt along the walls and slowly made his way back to the living room. His eyes were slowly adjusting. Moonlight filtered into the room through the windows, and Jason momentarily panicked before he remembered that Nico had struck him through the head after he killed him. Bryce wouldn’t be getting up any time soon.

He took Bryce’s backpack, shotgun, and switchblade, thinking it was only fair. Those guys had taken all of Jason’s supplies, and he doubted he’d be getting any of it back. He felt a little scummy looting a corpse like that, and made sure to be quick.

“Ready?” Jason nearly jumped out of his skin. He hadn’t heard Nico’s footsteps at all, but his voice was directly beside him. “You’re jumpy.”

“You’re quiet.” Jason retorted. “Yeah, I’m ready. You have everything?”

“Yes.” Nico answered. He took Jason’s wrist once again and led him through the front door. In the moonlight, Jason could see the outline of Nico’s small form, now with a large jacket wrapped around his waist that made him look even more feminine than he already did. He didn’t strictly need Nico to hold his wrist, but he didn’t say anything.

The roamers from earlier were loitering in the clearing. It was impossible to tell what they looked like from so far away, but their faces were extremely decayed. They’d been dead for a long time. There were only four now, so Jason’s attackers must have taken down a few. Jason readied his switchblade, but Nico led him off to the side of the house instead of toward the roamers.

“Shouldn’t we take care of them?” Jason whispered.

“No point.” Nico whispered back. “Those guys’ll do it whenever they come back.” 

They were approaching the treeline now, which loomed over them. It was pure inky blackness past the first couple trees, and only God knew what was hiding in there. Jason swallowed a lump of fear in his throat at the idea of camping out in these woods again at night, but Nico didn’t seem to have any issue. He led them through the trees like he knew these woods well, and Jason wondered how long he’d been living in that cabin.

“Who are you looking for?” Nico asked after a few minutes of walking in silence. His cold hand was still holding Jason’s wrist, and he was thankful for it. Nico could be deathly silent if he wanted to be, and the last thing Jason wanted was to get lost out here in the dark.

“Uh, my friend, Leo.” Jason answered, keeping his voice as low as possible to avoid attracting any roamer’s attention. “He went on a supply run a few months ago with a couple others, but they didn’t come back… The other two bodies were recovered, but we never found Leo.”

Nico was silent for a moment, and then, softly, “I’m sorry.”

“He’s alive.” Jason said, willing himself to sound more sure than he felt. “He must be.”

“I hope so.” Nico said. “Where was he?”

“Supposed to have gone to Washington D.C., but the other two never made it. I don’t know why he wouldn’t have just come back if…” Jason sighed. “Anyway, I’m sure he’s not there anymore. We searched for months.”

“You must’ve been really close if you’re still looking.” Nico said. “If the others from your camp already gave up.”

“He was like a brother.” Jason said sadly. “The only family I’ve ever had.”

“I’m sorry.” Nico sounded like he really meant it too.

Jason wiggled his wrist free and took Nico’s hand instead. It was cold, but his skin was soft. He squeezed, and Nico squeezed back. His heart was beating out of his chest at the simple gesture, but neither of them let go until the sun started to rise and they had no excuse to continue holding hands.

~~~

Jason was exhausted.

His legs felt like jelly, and he thought his feet might be bleeding. He usually stuck to roads, so the uneven ground of the forest floor took more balance than he had at the time. His shoulder wound was starting to hurt more, and his head was aching hard. His throat was becoming scratchy again, but he felt bad asking for more water.

“We should rest soon.” Nico said finally. 

The sun was low in the sky, and though it was still dim under the tree canopy, they could see where they were going clearly. It was a huge relief to have his sight back. Nico didn’t seem to be tired, or at least, any more tired than he did last night. He wasn’t slouching or breathing heavy like Jason was. Jason didn’t know how a guy as tiny as Nico had so much endurance.

“Thank God.” Jason said, his voice gruff from dehydration. 

Nico glanced back at him with amusement on his face. Jason had been walking behind Nico for the most part, and he was brutally reminded how pretty Nico was in the morning light. His hair was charcoal black and messy, just long enough to cover his eyebrows. Freckles dusted his cheeks, and there was a long, thin scar along the side of his jaw, but otherwise his skin was perfect porcelain. He had a the barest hint of a smile on his round lips, and Jason was struck by a terrible urge to kiss him.

He took in a shaky breath, and forced himself to think of Piper. His girlfriend. Who was the only person Jason should’ve been thinking of like that. Definitely not this guy he’d only known for a few hours. Who had killed for him without hesitation. Who had saved his life. Who had stitched up Jason’s cut like it was no big deal.

God, Jason needed to get his shit together.

“Jason?” Nico was giving him a strange look.

“Huh?” Jason shook himself. “Sorry. I’m just-- Tired, is all.”

Nico’s eyebrows knit together and he crossed his pale arms over his chest. “You should’ve said something. We’ll stop once we get to Aquia Creek. It shouldn’t be far now.”

“Okay.” Jason said, and silence reigned again. All he could hear was the sound of their footsteps- Jason’s own footsteps, because Nico was silent as always -and the sound of the wind rustling the leaves. There wasn’t a roamer in sight, and Jason felt almost like they were taking a walk through the park. If he let his mind go blank, it was easy to pretend they were just two friends, hanging out in the old world.

~~~

The creek was really more of a river. It was wide enough that an entire harbor of speedboats and pontoons fit comfortably on one side. Large houses lined the beach, each with their own small dock. Roamers wandered around the place, but seemed too distracted by each other to notice Jason and Nico.

They snuck through the harbour to avoid the roamers on the beach. The docks were made out of wood with rope railings. Countless boats were docked there, tied off and anchored to the harbour. Jason looked over his shoulder constantly, and didn’t pass a single boat without first making sure it was safe.

Nico rolled his eyes, but didn’t stop Jason from indulging in his paranoid tendencies. He just crossed his arms and slowed down. “You think any of these boats still work?” Jason asked.

“Maybe, if we had the keys. Which we don’t.” Nico shrugged.

Jason hummed, and looked back to the beach where they came from. There was a small shack that seemed to be the administrative building of the harbour. “I wonder if there are spare keys in there.” Jason gestured to the building.

Nico hesitated. “...You really want to go boating right now? Aren’t you searching for your friend?”

Jason’s shoulders slumped, making him wince as the motion made pain flare up. “Well, we don’t have to try right now, but maybe… I mean, at some point… I’ve never been on a boat before. Lived in Arizona before I found New Rome.”

Nico blinked owlishly at him. “Maybe later then. You can bring Leo, once you find him.”

“And you?” Jason asked before he could think better.

“What about me?” Nico bristled, lowering his head to hide behind his hair.

“Would you come with us?” Jason asked. They were nearing the end of the boardwalk, and Jason walked slower, not wanting to cut their conversation short because of the roamers.

“I don’t get along well with others. Big camps aren’t for me.” Nico said simply, though Jason could tell there was a larger story there. He wanted to ask, but he had a feeling he hadn’t yet gained enough trust for Nico to open up about it.

“But it’s safe there.” Jason insisted, a lump forming in his chest at the idea of parting with Nico in the near future.

“I can take care of myself.”

“I know you can, but-- I just-- You might like it! It’s an old gated community. It’s nice. We’ve got indoor plumbing and the entire neighborhood is totally safe.”

“I’ve had experience with camps like that before, and it didn’t end well. Look, I told you before I’d only be staying with you for the night…” Nico’s shoulders were hunched and he had gone from crossing his arms over his chest to hugging himself around the waist. He looked unbelievably small in that moment, like a kid.

“Nico…” Jason sighed.

“Don’t worry about me. Just worry about finding your friend. Okay?” Nico walked faster, stepping down onto the sand of the beach.

Softly, Jason said, “Okay.” He trailed after Nico with a scowl. Why was Nico so against coming back to New Rome? Why was he so determined to be alone? Jason dreaded the moment Nico would leave, though he knew it was creeping up on him soon.

They walked in silence down the beach, and Nico took down a roamer in their path with no hesitation, kicking its knees to get it’s head at a height he could reach comfortably. He wiped his now-bloody hunting knife on the roamer’s shirt before sheathing it again on his hip and continuing on. Jason was impressed; Nico didn’t let his small stature put him at a disadvantage at all.

“So where do you go after this, then?” Jason asked, causing Nico to glance back at him irritably.

“Nowhere that matters to you.” Nico said shortly, picking up his pace. Jason walked faster to catch up, and after a moment, Nico sighed and resumed his normal pace, knowing he couldn’t avoid this conversation.

“Come on; I told you my story. What’s yours?” Jason pressed.

“Just because you have loose lips doesn’t mean I do.” Nico retorted.

“You mentioned another camp.” Jason tried. “Tell me about it.”

“Why do you even care? It’s nowhere near Richmond, if you’re worried about conflict or something…”

“So it still exists, then?”

Nico stopped walking and growled, “God! You’re insufferable! Can’t you take a hint?”

“I don’t get why you won’t just tell me!” Jason yelled. “I thought we were getting along!”

“I’ve known you less than a day! Why would I tell you my life story? It doesn’t even matter, cause you’re just gonna leave soon anyway!” Nico yelled back ferociously.

Despite Nico’s small stature, Jason took a step back from him. Nico’s eyes were wild, like a cornered animal, and his hand had drifted over the hunting knife on his belt. Jason hadn’t thought Nico would turn on him, but maybe Jason had pushed too far.

“Behind you!” Jason said, and Nico turned around to see the horde of roamers had finally noticed them. There were at least 50 of them, all staggering toward them, snarling and snapping their teeth hungrily.

“Shit.” Nico breathed, shoving the closest one away by the chest. The roamer stumbled back and fell on its ass in the sand, but was immediately replaced by two more, who reached out for Nico with rotting hands, trying to bring his flesh closer to their decaying mouths.

Jason grabbed Nico’s arm and yanked him back, pulling him to start running. Nico stumbled and fell in the sand, but scrambled to his feet, kicking up sand in his wake. They broke out into a sprint across the beach, Jason only daring to glance behind him every so often.

The mob of zombies were slow, but there were so many of them. It would be an excruciatingly painful way to die, that was for sure.

“That way!” Nico yelled over the sound of death behind them. He pointed to a clearing of trees just off the beach, which probably lead back the same direction they came from. Jason didn’t care, and steered himself to follow Nico’s directions.

There was a single two-lane road in the clearing, which was unfortunately the only thing in sight. No buildings other than the harbour they’d come from, and there was no way they were getting past that horde to go back.

“Shit.” Jason cursed, glancing back at the horde. They were struggling through the sand, climbing over each other trying to get to their next meal.

“Don’t stop.” Nico breathed, tugging him along the road. They were able to run faster on the asphalt, the sand no longer shifting under their feet.

Jason didn’t know how long they ran. It must’ve been a few miles, because when they finally stopped, the horde of roamers was nowhere in sight. He couldn’t hear them anymore, but he knew they would catch up eventually. They’d follow their direction for days before they lost interest, though they probably didn’t even remember what they were following in the first place.

“We need to… get off the road.” Nico said from beside him, still panting hard. He was swaying in his spot, despite leaning against an abandoned car for stability. He looked like he was about to collapse.

“Are you okay?” Jason asked, crossing the small distance between them. He laid a hand on Nico’s shoulder, but he was shrugged off.

“Fine.” Nico breathed, still heaving. “Lets--” Jason took an instinctive step back as Nico doubled over, puking up what little was in his stomach.

“You’re obviously not fine.” Jason said as Nico stumbled a couple steps away from his vomit, and sat on the ground. He was heaving for breath and shaking all over. Jason wished Piper or Leo were here. They were much better at taking care of people than he was.

“Asthma.” he said, waving his hand flippantly as if that explained everything. “Just need to-- catch my breath.”

“We can’t stay here.” Jason glanced anxiously back the way they came. He had no idea how far away the horde was, but the last thing he wanted was for them to catch up. “I can carry you if--”

Nico glared at him, “I just-- need- a minute.”

“Okay, okay.” Jason started pacing. That had been an extremely close call, one they couldn’t afford to make again. Especially since he now knew Nico had asthma. They were able to outrun the roamers this time, but next time, Nico might have an asthma attack. “Do you have an inhaler?”

“If I had one, I wouldn’t just be sitting here, now would I?” Nico said, slowly recovering his breath. 

“Had to ask.” Nico looked like he wanted to say something sassy but didn’t have the energy. He’d stayed up all night with Jason and hadn’t eaten at all. He looked exhausted, and Jason once again felt a wave of guilt over the fact that he’d caused it.

Another minute passed before Nico slowly got to his feet, leaning on the car for support. “I think I’m fine now.” Nico said quietly. He was still breathing a little heavy, but looked much better than he had a minute ago.

“If you’re sure.” Jason said. “I don’t like being out in the open like this.”

“Let’s go.” Nico led the way down into the shallow ditch that lined both sides of the road, carefully placing his steps so he wouldn’t fall. Jason kept sending worried glanced to Nico as they passed the treeline, but the younger teen seemed to be fine now. Maybe he was a little paler than he had been before, but Jason reasoned that could’ve been a trick of the light.

~~~

After a few miles of walking, they came upon an abandoned house. It was smaller than the cabin he’d found Nico in, if that were even possible. The wooden siding was being overrun by vines and plants, as if mother earth were trying to reclaim it. The porch creaked under their feet as they went up to it. Jason instinctively took point, peeking in through the window before trying the front door.

He jiggled the doorknob, but it was locked. He glanced around the small clearing around the house, and took a few steps back, preparing to ram the door open.

“Stop. Idiot.” Nico put a hand on his chest just as he was about to charge forward.

“You got a better idea?” Jason asked.

“Yes, obviously.” Nico dug through his backpack and pulled out a jackknife lock pick. He kneeled in front of the door and started working on it. He had a look of complete concentration on his face, biting his lip as he twisted the metal pieces until the lock clicked.

He got to his feet and let the door drift open, looking incredibly smug about it. “Okay, okay. That was kinda cool.” Jason admitted. “Where’d you learn how to it?”

“Used to go to a military school. Had to learn if I wanted to have any fun.” Nico shrugged, and Jason mentally rejoiced at this new piece of information about Nico, no matter how insignificant.

“Right.” Jason turned his attention to the inside of the house. Pushing the door open more, he didn’t see or hear anything. It was cozy inside, though extremely dusty like most places. It only had two rooms, the kitchen/bedroom/living room, and the bathroom.

The main room had a single bed, couch, armchair, and a small kitchenette in the corner. It was nothing fancy, and looked maybe like it used to be someone’s hunting retreat or man cave.

“I guess this is as good a place as any to camp for the day.” Jason said, dropping his backpack on the couch. Nico stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, arms crossed as usual. It was just dark enough that his clothes started to blend in with the rest of the room, and Jason was struck once again with the thought that Nico almost looked like a ghost. “You must be exhausted.”

“I’m fine.” was the only answer he got, though Nico was eying the bed longingly.

“...Go lay down, Nico.” Jason said softly. “I’ll start a fire outside and heat up something, okay?”

“No, I’ll stay up to eat.” Nico said, straightening up and turning away from the bed. “The fire, and the smell… It’ll attract roamers. Or people. We should both be awake.”

Jason couldn’t argue with that logically, but he still felt bad for keeping him up. He had to coax Nico into sitting on the porch steps while Jason started a fire in the firepit. He used a pot he found in the kitchenette to cook two cans of soup Nico had.

He glanced up from the pot to see that Nico was fighting the losing battle of keeping his eyes open. He looked almost like a cat, blinking sleepily, then snapping himself awake and trying to focus on the fire, before inevitably dozing off again. It was kinda cute.

God, he really needed to stop thinking things like that.

“Foods done.” Jason said after another minute. Nico yawned and sat up straight as Jason handed him a bowl of hot soup. They ate on the porch steps, and after days without a warm meal, Jason was too invested in his meal to keep up any conversation. Not that Nico could’ve; the only thing keeping him awake was the soup in his hands.

“You should go lay down now.” Jason said when they were finished. He stood up and took the bowls, setting them on the ground beside the fire. “I’ll kill the fire and be in in a minute.”

Nico blinked owlishly up at him, and hesitated for a moment before finally giving in. “Fine.” He stood up and yawned, stretching his arms above his head. Jason resolutely didn’t look at the little patch of pale skin that was visible on Nico’s hip as his shirt rode up. “Thanks for cooking.” Nico said as he went inside, his voice sounding both soft and coarse just like it had when they first met.

“No problem.” Jason said, mostly to himself, as Nico disappeared inside the house. He let his gaze linger on the front door for a moment, before snapping back to the task at hand. He stomped out the fire and spread the ashes around so the embers would die down faster.

When he went inside, he was gifted the sight of Nico curled up tight in a ball like a cat on one end of the couch, wrapped up in his oversized bomber jacket. “Nico.” Jason said softly, shaking his shoulder. Nico didn’t respond, only curled up tighter into himself. He was sound asleep, his breathing even and his eyelids still.

Jason stooped down to pick him up with an arm behind his back and under his knees. Nico was extremely light, even lighter than Piper or Hazel from back home. Jason could feel the curve of his spine and the jut of his shoulder blades, Nico’s soft puffs of breath against Jason’s neck and his charcoal hair tickled Jason’s jaw. It felt foreign to hold him in his arms, and yet so familiar.

He carefully deposited Nico on the bed, pulling the blanket around him like a burrito. Nico didn’t stir, and Jason made his rounds, making sure every door and window was properly locked. The sun was on its way down by that time, and Jason reasoned it would probably be okay to sleep through the night.

He made his bed on the couch using a spare blanket, and he made sure to be facing the front door, setting Bryce’s shotgun over his lap just in case. He didn’t dream.

~~~

The first thing Jason noticed when he woke up, was that the shotgun he’d fallen asleep with was no longer in his hands. He opened his eyes and saw the dusty ceiling of the house they’d sheltered yesterday. The sun was up and the sky was a vibrant blue, filling the room with natural light.

He groaned as he sat up, body stiff from laying on the couch all night. The shotgun was laying on the floor right beside the couch; it must’ve slipped from his hands in the night. He was grateful it hadn’t accidentally gone off.

“Morning.” he heard. Nico sat, curled up, in the armchair by the small kitchenette. His knees were drawn up to his chest, arms wrapped around his legs. He looked sleepy, his charcoal hair stuck up in every direction, but infinitely better than he had yesterday. 

Jason smiled blearily at him, “Hey…” The corners of Nico’s lips quirked up, and Jason’s smile widened. Nico hid his face in his knees, and Jason couldn’t help the low rumbling chuckle that escaped him. Cute.

Just the sight of him was almost enough to make Jason forget about their argument yesterday. Jason sighed, his smile fading, as he sat upright. “I’m sorry for yelling at you yesterday.” he started quietly.

Nico looked up at him as if he hadn’t been expecting an apology. “Um, it’s fine.”

“It was my fault those roamers noticed us.” Jason insisted. “You could’ve gotten hurt, and… well, I just shouldn’t have raised my voice anyway.”

“I was yelling too. It wasn’t just your fault.” Nico shrugged, and Jason was relieved he seemed like he genuinely wasn’t upset.

“And I’m sorry I pushed you so hard to tell me about that camp.” Jason said, before he could think better. Nico tensed at the mention of the camp, which only confirmed to Jason that were was a story there. For some inexplicable reason, he desperately wanted to know it. Really, he wanted to know anything Nico was willing to share.

“...It’s fine. I just…” Nico bit his lip and turned away. “I don’t like to talk about it.”

“I figured.” Jason said with a tiny smile. “You don’t have to tell me. I’m just curious about you, is all. I told you about my camp back in Richmond, but you seem dead set on not going. Can I at least know why?”

Nico was silent for a moment, and Jason was just about to let the topic drop when Nico finally spoke up. “I had a sister. Two actually… Lost one right at the beginning, but Bianca stayed with me for a year. She protected me.” he started, his voice incredibly fragile. Nico was resolutely staring at the coffee table, his arms wound tight around his knees, making him look smaller than he really was. 

“She and I found this camp in New York, and… about a week after we arrived, they asked her to go out on a supply run. I was injured, but they said we needed to pull our weight, so she went. They told me they would protect her. That they’d take care of her, and make sure she came back okay.”

Jason felt a weight settle in his chest. He knew where this was going, inevitably. He had the urge to reach out and hug the younger boy, but he wasn’t sure Nico would welcome it.

“I never saw her again.” Nico’s fingers were shaking as they picked at the tears in his jeans, and he was still staring at the coffee table. “They _left_ her somewhere in Manhattan. Looked for her for months, never found her.”

Jason let out a shaky breath, and sat forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “I’m sorry.”

Nico ignored his apology, but looked up and met his eyes. He wasn’t crying, but his eyes looked like broken glass and his jaw was shaking. “The last time I trusted someone who wasn’t family, they left my sister alone to die.”

“I know you have no reason to trust me yet,” Jason said, holding Nico’s eye contact, “but I’ll prove it to you. If you give me the chance.”

Nico’s face contorted with uncertainty, but he didn’t disagree. “How long until they expect you back?”

“Couple weeks at most.” Jason finally looked away, vaguely ashamed he’d lost their staring contest. “I left about a month ago, so I’m already kinda pushing it…”

“Then you have until then to convince me.” Nico said. “I can’t say I understand why you care so much, though. I mean, I’m just one guy…”

“I don’t know either.” Jason said. “I just… I like you, and I hate the thought of you being all alone out here.”

Nico’s face flushed, and Jason couldn’t help smiling at him as he turned away to hide his face. “I’ve been alone a long time, Jason, and I’ll be alone again when you leave. It’s okay.”

“It’s not. And I’m not leaving you.” Jason said meaningfully. “Just give it some thought, okay? It’s a good place, we’ll take care of you.”

“I’ll think about it.” Nico said, and stood up. “But not right now. We should rewrap your shoulder and go.”

“Right.” Jason threw the blanket off his lap and stood, stretching his arms high above his head. His shoulder ached, but it was a manageable pain. His hands brushed the dusty ceiling, and Nico crossed his arms.

“I get it, you’re tall.” Nico said, rolling his eyes as he put on his backpack. “Stop showing off.”

“I’m sure you could reach it too.” Jason smirked, “If you jumped, or uh, stood on someth--” Nico threw a pillow at him. “Sorry, jeez.” Jason grinned as Nico failed to hide his own amused smile.

“Asshole.” Nico muttered, and gestured to the bed. “Sit down.”

Jason complied, his smile only growing wider as he watched Nico bite his lip, struggling to keep a blank face. Jason’s smile dropped when Nico abruptly started peeling off the gauze from his wound, letting out a sound like an animal dying. Nico laughed at his pain.

“You’re sadistic.” Jason groaned, but couldn’t be mad at him.

“You’re a baby.” Nico retorted, stepping a little closer to examine the day-old stitches. He dug through his bag and started cleaning Jason’s cut, not bothering to tell him it might hurt. Jason found himself holding his breath at their close proximity, turning his head away and praying his breath didn’t stink, though he knew it probably did.

“...Thanks.” Jason let out his breath when Nico had finished rewrapping his now-clean wound.

“Don’t mention it.” Nico stuffed everything back into his backpack. He glanced around the room to make sure they had everything before looking up at Jason expectantly. “So. Where are we going?”

“Uh.” Jason faltered. He’d sort of been letting Nico lead them around. “I’m not exactly sure?”

Nico frowned, “You don’t have any idea where to search? Didn’t you say the two people that left with Leo were found before they reached D.C.? Why don’t we go there?”

“I doubt he’s still there. We already checked almost every building nearby…” Jason said, letting out a dramatic sigh. “...To tell you the truth, I really don’t know where he might be. I feel like we’ve looked everywhere, and at this point, nobody else was willing to come out with me again, so…” he groaned in frustration. 

“It’s okay.” Nico said, resting a hand on Jason’s arm. “It only takes one person to find him.” He paused, and continued timidly, “Or two, in your case.”

Jason cracked a tiny smile at that, but it faded just as quickly. “I just feel like I’ve been wandering around, doing nothing, really. But even the thought of going back home without him makes me feel like I’m giving up…”

Nico’s expression softened and he squeezed his hand on Jason’s arm. “I know the feeling.” he whispered, though it wasn’t at all comforting, considering Nico had never found his sister even though he seemed to never have given up on it.

“Part of me knows it’s silly to keep holding on to this.” Jason admitted. “Only God knows what happened to him, and I know it’s been months so he’s probably dead, but… I can’t go back to New Rome yet… They’re waiting on me coming back to have the funeral, and I just… can’t.”

Nico looked a little lost, like he had no idea what to say to that. “Um, do you want a hug, or something?” Jason had to stop himself from laughing, but couldn’t keep the fond smile off his face. “Sorry, that was probably weird. I’m kinda bad at comforting people, if you didn’t notice.” Nico cringed at himself and withdrew his hand, wrapping his arms around himself.

“No, no it’s fine.” Jason said. “I’d like that. If you’re still offering?”

“Um, yeah.” Nico shrugged and held up his arms awkwardly. 

Jason smiled and hugged him around the waist, letting Nico’s skinny arms rest around his shoulders. Despite them both being filthy and covered in dirt, Nico felt nice in his arms. He was small and short enough that he fit perfectly up against Jason’s body, leaving almost no space between them. Jason rested his cheek against the top of Nico’s head, feeling his hair that was somehow still soft even though neither of them had probably bathed in days. Jason let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding in.

“I really hope you find him.” Nico whispered, right next to Jason’s ear. He squeezed Nico tighter, and felt him squeeze back. The hug went on for a minute or two, and Jason was already dreading having to let go.

After another minute, Nico gently pulled back, and Jason reluctantly let his arms drop. He rubbed the back of his neck and averted his eyes from Nico. “Uh, thanks. For that. It was nice.”

“Um, yeah. Whatever…” Nico mumbled, staring at his shoes. “We should probably go now. It’s getting late.”

“Right.” Jason didn’t linger any more. He lead the way down the porch, but stopped when he realized he didn’t know exactly where they were. “Uh.”

“Pick a direction, any direction.” Nico gave him a surprisingly encouraging smile. “Except that one.” he pointed toward the way they came, back to the road.

“No chance we’re going back there.” Jason said, and started walking down what used to be a dirt driveway. It was overgrown, like the rest of the yard, except for small patches of barren dirt shaped like tire tracks.

After a few minutes of walking in silence, they reached what seemed to be a small community center. It wasn’t much, just a cluster of three buildings. One was a Casey’s gas station, a Motel 6, and a grocery store Jason had never heard of before. The roads were paved, but cracked and overgrown with weeds. There were only two cars parked outside the gas station, and none left on the street. This must’ve been the smallest town Jason had ever seen.

“Let’s check the store before we leave.” Nico said, leading the way. The grocery store windows were too dusty to see through, but the glass door had been smashed a long time ago. Nico ducked his head and nimbly slipped inside through the hole.

“Hey wait!” Jason whispered, but Nico had already ventured further inside. Jason wrapped his sleeve around his fist and started to break off more glass so he could fit through. The sound of the glass hitting the sidewalk was deafening in the silence of the rest of the town.

The store was dark except for in the very front by the windows, and he couldn’t see Nico down any of the first aisles. He was surprised to see that most of the store hadn’t been looted. Products had been scattered all over the floor and a couple loziers had toppled over. What was worrying though, was that he could hear the sound of growling and uneven, wheezy breathing from further in the store. Roamers.

“Nico?” he whispered as loud as he dared, tip-toeing past a couple checkout booths. Jason’s heart was beating out of his chest as he looked down every aisle he passed. Most were knocked over and messy, but there was still quite a bit of products on the shelves. Sticky red liquid had flooded two aisles, and Jason was relieved that it reeked of alcohol; it was just wine.

Suddenly, the sound of growling was cut off, plunging the dark grocery store into nearly complete silence. “Jason?” he heard from the back of the store.

“Are you okay?” Jason called back, running down the nearest aisle. 

“Fine.” Nico said when Jason appeared around the corner. Nico was knelt down in front of one of the roamers, cleaning his hunting knife on its shirt. “Place is clear.”

“Gross.” Jason wrinkled his nose. “You should’ve waited for me. I didn’t know where you were.”

“Like I keep saying, I’m fully capable of taking care of myself.” Nico scoffed. He stood up and sheathed his knife.

“I know you are.” Jason sighed, not wanting to rehash this argument. “It’s not about that.”

“Then what’s it about?” 

“Look, we’re friends right?” Jason didn’t wait for Nico to answer, “Well, I don’t know if I’m your friend, but you’re my friend. And I worry about my friends, okay? So please don’t run ahead like that.”

Nico was silent for a moment. “You’re my friend.” he said uncertainly, and fiddled with his hands awkwardly. “Sorry. I guess I’m not really used to traveling with other people.”

Jason let out a sigh of relief that Nico wasn’t about to fight with him. “That’s okay. I just… got worried.”

Nico stared at his shoes uncomfortably, and Jason almost felt bad for scolding him. “I’ll tell you next time. Anyway, the store is clear. We should grab some shit and get out.”

“Right.” Jason breathed as Nico turned and walked down an aisle.

They stuffed their backpacks with cans of soup, stew, and other preserved food. Jason stuck close to Nico as they did, even though the store was clear of roamers. He couldn’t help but be a little protective. It wasn’t that Nico was weak, or even that he was younger. Jason couldn’t put his finger on it, but he already felt so attached to this guy, even though they’d only known each other a day and a half.

~~~

One day turned into a week. Jason didn’t know why, but time seemed to fly whenever he was with Nico. They traveled West through Virginia, and Jason knew Nico knew where they were, so he allowed himself to forget.

They were walking along a railroad through a patch of woods. It was nearly dark, so they had decided to find somewhere to camp for the night. The sun was low in the sky, casting long shadows over the terrain. Nico looked particularly beautiful in the golden light. It made his skin look like it was glowing, but Jason wouldn’t dare voice his opinion.

“So where is this camp of yours anyway?” Nico asked, even though Jason was sure he’d mentioned it before. Nico was balancing on one of the rails, walking with his arms out to keep himself upright as Jason walked slowly beside him.

“Richmond, kind of in the suburbs. It used to be a wealthy gated community.” Jason said.

“Tell me about it.” Nico said. Jason glanced over, surprised. He hoped the younger boy was coming around to the idea of going there with him.

“It’s amazing.” Jason began, fondness clearly present in his voice. “I found it… maybe a month after everything went to shit, when it was still really small. I was here from Arizona with a few classmates scouting out universities. Back then, New Rome was only a few houses, a few families that banded together to protect it. Little by little, we found more people, and we were able to clear the entire community.”

“How many people are there?” Nico asked.

“Uh. A lot. I never really counted. At least a hundred,” Jason said. Nico looked almost nauseous, and Jason was quick to add, “but, they’re all spread out in the neighborhood. It’s not too crowded, and everyone’s pretty nice. There’s a lot of young people there, too. Kids our age.”

“Camp Half-Blood was like that too.” Nico said quietly.

“Is it, uh, still there?”

“Last time I checked.” Nico shrugged like he didn’t care either way. “I don’t make a habit of visiting. They always try to make me stay.”

“Maybe they have good intentions.” Jason said. “I mean, I obviously don’t know them. But _I_ certainly don’t want you to be out here alone.”

“I think they just felt bad about letting Bianca die.” Nico scoffed. “They don’t care about me. Just their own guilty consciences.”

“Maybe,” Jason conceded, “but New Rome isn’t like that. We want to rebuild society; make life better even than it was before.”

Nico scoffed again, as if the idea was completely ridiculous. And, Jason figured, to Nico, it might’ve been. As far as Jason could tell, the boy had lived mostly by himself in the wilderness for at least two years, probably encountering the worst of the worst scum of the earth along the way. There were no laws, no rules, and no expectations out here. Maybe Nico even liked that. 

The idea of going back to civilization after weeks or a month away from home was daunting even for Jason sometimes, especially when he thought about his girlfriend, Piper, or his friends Hazel and Frank, and how sheltered from the real world they all were. They had lived in New Rome for months or in Piper’s case years, and were unused to the outside world. Jason knew most of his friends from back home could never make it out here.

Nico was just so different from any of them. He’d experienced so much, lost so much, and still persevered. He still looked adorable, trying to balance on the rail like a child, despite stabbing a roamer through the skull just a couple hours ago, something that would’ve horrified the more… domesticated people from New Rome.

“You can always leave if you don’t like it.” Jason said, meeting Nico’s gaze. “We won’t force you to stay. I promise you that.”

“You couldn’t force me to stay if you tried, muscles.” Nico said with a slight smile.

Jason grinned back, “I know I couldn’t. And I wouldn’t _want_ you to stay if that’s not what you want too. I just want one chance.”

“Maybe.” Nico said, suddenly looking shy. “I… It’s been a long time since I’ve been around other people.”

“I’ll be right there with you the whole time.” Jason’s heart thundered as he reached out, taking Nico’s slender hand as they walked. Nico glanced up at him in surprise, but didn’t withdraw his hand.

“...Maybe.”

~~~

They set up camp in an old lumber yard that night. It was a small building with a couple offices and a break room with a couch. There was a roamer inside one of the offices- an elderly man with a pot belly -that Jason put down easily, but the rest of the yard seemed abandoned. There were three huge saw blades in the yard for cutting logs and a huge yellow woodchipper that somehow still worked when Nico flicked it on.

It roared to life, making a sound like a car engine, only ten times louder. He obviously hadn’t been expecting it to work, and hurried to turn it back off. “Shit, shit!” he cursed. “I bet every walker within at least a couple miles heard that…”

“Let’s get inside then.” Jason said, steering the younger boy toward the building with a hand on the small his back. Nico went easily, obviously freaked out by the deafening noise he’d just caused. He hurried inside, closing the door and locking it after Jason.

“Fuck, I shouldn’t have messed with that thing…” Nico groaned.

“Hey, it’s okay.” Jason said. He could barely see Nico through the darkness; the only light came from the moonlight shining through the windows. He reached out and grabbed Nico’s small wrist. “They didn’t see us. We’ll just have to be extra quiet until morning.”

“I’m sorry.” Nico whispered, though he let Jason pull him along to the break room.

“It’s okay.” he repeated. “If you hadn’t checked, I was going to.” Nico huffed, obviously unsatisfied with that answer. “You can sleep on the couch. I’ll take the floor.”

“What? No.” Nico pulled Jason’s wrist down onto the couch with him, and he fell back on it beside the smaller boy. “It’s big enough. We can share.”

“But, our legs will be cramped in the morning…” Jason protested, scooting away from Nico after nearly falling on top of him.

“It’s fine. I’m used to sleeping in small spaces.”

“I’m not.”

“Then you can stretch out and I’ll just have my legs over yours.” Nico said like it was no big deal. “Take your boots off.” 

Jason felt small hands pushing his chest to lay down. His heart was beating irrationally fast for this situation, but he complied, kicking off his shoes and letting his head lay on the armrest. Nico laid down on the opposite end of the couch, and let his legs rest over Jason’s. They were light, and Nico was so short, his feet settled on Jason’s stomach, nowhere near his face.

“...Okay.” Jason’s whisper sounded deafening in the silence. “...Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it.” was Nico’s quiet reply. 

No more words were said that night. Nico’s breathing evened out within a few minutes, but Jason stayed awake for a few hours. Every time he got comfortable, he was brutally reminded of Nico’s weight on top of him. Once again, he felt silly. Nico wasn’t even awake, and yet he still made Jason feel like there were butterflies in his stomach. 

He held in a pathetic groan when he thought of Piper. He dreaded seeing her again if he was being honest with himself. She was amazing and beautiful and everything he should want in a girl, but he couldn’t picture himself staying in New Rome long enough to settle down like she wanted. He couldn’t picture himself being Praetor for another year, and the thought of moving in with Piper like she wanted was nauseating. He loved her; he really did, but he needed a certain amount of breathing room, and she just didn’t understand that.

He brought up a hand to rest on Nico’s jean-clad calf. It was small, just like the rest of him, but firm with muscle, probably from all the walking. He’d known Nico for barely a week, but he could picture himself out in the wilderness, exploring the old world with Nico by his side. 

He thought of Nico’s smile, and how it seemed to light up the world every time Jason had the honor of seeing it, and the way Nico always bit his lip when he was trying to keep a straight face. The way he’d hide behind his hair as if it was an invisibility cloak. He thought about how experienced Nico was in the outside world, how Jason had no need to be overprotective, because- as Nico loved to remind him -he was able to take care of himself perfectly fine without Jason’s help. Not that Jason didn’t want to help, or didn’t feel the urge to keep Nico behind himself at all times, but he knew he was being silly for worrying so much.

He didn’t know anyone from back home that he would ever be able to venture outside the walls with. Leo was the only one he could ever go on trips with, and he was gone. Maybe Frank would be able to hold his own out here, but he wouldn’t want to be apart from Hazel for very long. Reyna used to go outside all the time, but she was really taking her job as Praeter seriously these days, and Jason doubted he could convince her to take a few days off to go outside with him. 

Piper had made it clear she never intended on stepping foot outside the walls in her life. She hadn’t left New Rome since the beginning, and was disgusted by the idea of ever going outside. She couldn’t understand why Jason always volunteered for supply runs, especially after having lost Leo, who was one of her closest friends.

But, he could imagine waking up next to Nico, in a cabin, or in sleeping bags in the middle of the woods, or wherever they’d decide to camp any particular night. He could imagine hiking and scavenging his way to New York with Nico, and searching for his sister. Or going to Arizona to visit Jason’s old house. Or going anywhere really. There were no limitations out here; they could do anything they wanted.

But those were fantasies, he reminded himself, and what he had with Piper was real. Piper was his girlfriend of six months and he loved her, he really did. He just had to remember that.

After what felt like an eternity, he fell into a restless sleep.

~~~

In the morning, the first thing he noticed was how cold he was.

He groaned as he sat up. The curtains in the room were all closed, so the room was dim, but light enough for Jason to see Nico clearly. Nico sat on the floor in the middle of the room with a small gas burner, heating a bowl of soup or stew. Whatever it was, it smelled delicious.

“Good morning, sunshine.” Nico said without turning to look at him. Jason’s lips quirked up at the nickname. “Hope you’re hungry for an MRE. It’s all we have.”

“Sounds good.” Jason said blearily. He yawned and stretched as he got up, making his way to the front window. He peeked through the curtains. There were two roamers in sight, though they were far enough away Jason was sure they’d be able to sneak by. But, if there were two here, there were probably more nearby that were attracted by the woodchipper.

“There’s more in the back.” Nico informed him. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Jason said, letting the curtain fall closed again. He sat on the floor on the other side of the gas burner from Nico. “Don’t worry about it for now.”

Nico frowned, letting out a hum that sounded vaguely disagreeable, but he changed the subject. “What’s it like?” he asked as they waited for the stew to heat. “New Rome.” He said it as if it were a made up place, like Narnia.

Jason smiled, “It’s quiet in the morning. It’s peaceful inside, at least until the kids wake up. They go to daycare or help out in other places, if they’re old enough. We eat meals together as a community, in one of the bigger houses that was converted into… kind of like, a town hall. In the afternoon, I usually go to the training sessions and help out, unless I’m out on a supply run, or… or lately, searching for Leo.

“After training, there’s dinner, and then we have free time. Obviously, uh, everyone’s schedules are different. You can choose what you do, and usually you can choose which shift, except guard duty, which is mandatory for everyone who’s able. It kinda sucks sometimes, but it’s a necessary evil. Everyone has to chip in.”

Nico hummed, taking in all of this information with a slight frown on his face. “So, everyone has to pull their weight?”

“Well, yeah, to some extent. I mean, we’re not going to make you risk your life or anything, but you might have to do laundry or help in the kitchen or something. We’d find something you’ll like. And there’s plenty of free time, too. It’s not just a sweatshop or anything.” Jason said.

“And if I want to go outside?” Nico asked slowly.

“You have to get permission, but that’s not hard.” Jason said. “As long as you let Reyna or I know before-hand, and she’s usually fine with it. But if you mean, like, leave for good… You can leave whenever you want. It’s just, there’s rules for people who live there long-term.”

“Hm.” Nico hummed, but didn’t elaborate. He turned off the gas burner and poured what appeared to be chicken soup into two bowls. Jason took one and started eating, instantly feeling more awake with the warm food.

“I really hope you’ll come back with me.” Jason said between bites. “It’s a good place.”

“Mh.” Nico hummed noncommittally. Jason didn’t pester him as they ate, and let the topic drop. They finished their stew and cleaned up, leaving the dirty bowls on the counter by the sink. They tried testing the faucet, but all that came out was a few drops of rust-colored water that they didn’t dare try to drink.

It only took a few minutes to pack up, and Jason took the lead on the way out of the building. He slowly opened the door, peeking through ah inch-wide crack before fully opening it. All he could hear was the sound of the wind and the far-off sound of snarling coming from the other side of the woodchipper. There weren’t any roamers directly in front of the door, so he stuck his head out to peer around the corner.

He gasped and pulled himself back inside, slamming the door harder than he intended. There was a roamer hovering around the left side of the door, just outside Jason’s view when he peeked through the crack. It had been a large man wearing a high visibility construction vest.

“Fuck.” he cursed as the roamer started banging on the door, moaning and snarling. It had noticed him.

“There’s a back door, but there are more walkers there.” Nico said in a hushed voice.

“I think I can take this one. It’ll attract more if we leave it…” Jason said, pulling out his switchblade.

Nico caught his wrist just before he turned the knob to open the door again, giving him a worried look, “Are you positive there’s only one?”

“...I only _saw_ one.” Jason said. Nico didn’t seem reassured by that at all. Jason wrapped an arm around Nico’s shoulder and guided him to back up a few steps. “Don’t worry, Neeks. I’ll be fine.”

Nico scowled and huffed in frustration, but didn’t protest. “Fine. Be careful.” He rested a hand on the hilt of his hunting knife, and waited for Jason to open the door.

The banging stopped abruptly as he swung the door open, and the roamer fell on its face into the hallway. Luckily, Jason was correct that there was only one in the front, and he knelt down quickly and stabbed the roamer in the back of its head before it had a chance to get up again.

Jason stood up and peered through the door again. There was nothing. He gestured for Nico to follow him outside, leaving the door open behind them. The roamer was in the way of it closing anyway, and he didn’t want to waste time lingering here.

“Go, go!” Nico whispered, pushing him forward as they weaved between the trees. Nico’s footsteps were somehow nearly silent, but Jason’s felt deafening in the quiet of the surrounding woods. The roamers that loitered by the back of the building hadn’t noticed them at all.

“See?” Jason smiled when they were far enough away to slow down. The lumber yard was barely visible through the trees, and Jason couldn’t hear the roamers at all. “It was fine.”

“It was _dangerous_.” Nico corrected him with a meaningful glance. His dark doe eyes bored into Jason like high beams, and he poked Jason’s chest.

“Aww. You’re worried about me.” Jason smirked, throwing an arm around the younger boy. He was surprised and pleased when Nico didn’t immediately shrug him off. He just crossed his arms and looked away, no doubt hiding a blush or an ill-disguised smile.

“You could’ve gotten hurt.” Nico pouted, leaning into Jason’s side.

“Now you know how I feel.” Jason retorted, squeezing his arm around Nico before letting it drop. “You should really trust me more.”

Nico scoffed, “I trust you. Like you said before, I was just worried.”

“Well, I appreciate that.” Jason said with a blinding smile. Nico bit his lip and started walking faster. Jason’s own smile only grew as he knew from experience that meant the younger was hiding his own smile. “Aw, come on. Look at me; let me see that smile.”

Nico started walking even faster, bringing his hands up to cover his face. Jason matched his pace, trying to get a look at his face. “No, stop!” he groaned, but Jason could hear the amusement in his voice. “You’re so cheesy, Jay.”

Jason wasn’t sure he could’ve smiled any wider, but his heart fluttered when he heard the nickname come out of Nico’s mouth. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“I’m sure you will.” Nico sighed, finally glancing back at Jason. As he predicted, a reluctant yet fond smile lit up Nico’s face. He only got to enjoy it for a moment before Nico turned back, and they fell into a comfortable silence as they walked.

Jason could definitely get used to this.

~~~

“So.” Jason started. They had chosen to spend the night in an old barn. It smelled vaguely of manure, but the hay made the ground soft for sleeping on, and it was big enough that they could have a fire going inside. Orange light illuminated everything in the barn, casting deep shadows into the stalls that lined the walls of the barn, probably used to house horses at one point. The night was quiet, and all they could hear was the sound of crickets outside.

“So.” Nico repeated. He was heating up a pot of stew for them, stirring every once in a while. 

“We need to start heading back to New Rome. They’re probably gonna be pissed I stayed out this long...” Jason said hesitantly. “If you’re willing to come back with me, that is.”

Nico bristled, keeping his eyes on the fire. He set the wooden spoon down on the ground and wrapped his arms around himself. He seemed to be deep in thought, and Jason didn’t push him for an answer, knowing if he tried to rush him, Nico would probably change his mind about coming.

It wasn’t until after they began eating that Nico finally responded. “I don’t want to end up alone there.” he admitted, his voice almost too quiet for Jason to hear.

Jason felt a pang in his chest and put his nearly-empty bowl down on the ground. He scooted over beside Nico and wrapped an arm around his back. He was relieved when Nico didn’t immediately push him away. Nico just sighed and let himself lean further into Jason’s side. They fit together perfectly, and Jason almost forgot what he was going to say.

“I’ll be right there the whole time.” Jason whispered, squeezing his arm around the younger boy.

“You can’t be.” Nico said. “You said you have a job, and other responsibilities…”

“You can help me then. I’ll show you around, and you can room with me.” Jason said, getting more and more excited. “We’ll eat together and I’ll introduce you to my friends. They’ll like you.”

Nico rested his head on Jason’s shoulder and let out a shaky breath. “God, I sound so pathetic…”

Jason let out a low chuckle and rested his cheek on Nico’s head. “I don’t mind.” he murmured. “I know it’s hard, going back to civilization after so long. Sometimes it’s hard for me, too, even after just a month out here. But I’ll be right there with you, okay?”

He felt Nico nod slightly into his shoulder. “Okay.”

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry it ends kinda abruptly. This is a small part of a larger work i'm writing. Not sure if i will post the larger work because there are still some things i'm unhappy with, but figured there's no reason not to post this part. Possibly the first in a series, not sure yet


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